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The University of Pyrrhia
The University of Pyrrhia The University of Pyrrhia, created by Kittyluvver and situated in the capital of Mountia, is a center for higher education in the world of postmodern Pyrrhia. Despite a regrettable centuries-old history of prejudice, UoP has become one of, if not the most preeminent and prestigious schools in all of Pyrrhia. The University is known for the (skin-deep) beauty of its campus, and for the radical and progressive thought it cultivates. Campus The main campus of the University is situated in the old NightWing sector, but has since expanded and built into the valleys and steep hillsides surrounding the city of Mountia. Because early in its history the University was once exclusively all-female and all-NightWing, the school was much smaller and most of the original architecture was in the traditional NightWing style - built for function, not looks. However, after integration laws and a great deal of expansion, the campus has adopted architectural themes from almost all of the different tribes. Due to Mountia's mountainous terrain and proximity to the SkyWing kingdom, most buildings on the steep hillsides draw quite heavily from SkyWing neoclassical architecture, although SeaWing palatial influences are also quite common. However, more recent constructions (especially in the Science halls) have veered towards the ultramodern with unorthodox designs and an emphasis on glass, concrete, and steel. The center of the University is the Belltower, a soaring red brick tower several stories tall that overlooks the Commons, the lake, and the rest of Mountia below. The Belltower rings out the hours of the day. Currently the tower observatory is off-limits, after an unfortunate incident when a student had to have an eardrum reconstruction after being caught in there when the bells were ringing. The University Commons is a large, flat expanse of carefully manicured grass lawn on the floor of the valley, near the tower. This area is often quite sunny, and a number RainWing students can be found napping and relaxing here on most days. The Commons also contains a number of oak trees, which house a population of very friendly and very insistent squirrels. The University squirrels are notorious, and there are now signs everywhere warning dragons against feeding the squirrels. A main feature of the valley floor, below the belltower and near the entrance to Mountia proper, is a large rectangular fountain pool at the Belltower's base. On both sides the fountain pool is decorated with golden statues of each of the seven tribes of Pyrrhia, although more recently there has been a movement to represent the newfound tribes. When the fountain is turned on, each of these golden statues spits water into the pool below. This dragonmade lake serves as a congregation point for the University's SeaWing population, although swimming is discouraged. The pool is fed off of several picturesque waterfalls that cascade through aqueducts on the surrounding hillsides. In turn it also feeds a river that flows off downstream into the city. Recently, a number of koi fish have been added to the fountain pool and are now thriving in great numbers. The fountain and pool, the belltower, and the Commons are the most iconic and the most photographed landmarks on campus. Campus staff takes great pride in keeping them in pristine condition. Any students found littering or otherwise defacing these areas face serious disciplinary action. Harrow Memorial Library Named in honor of the famous engineering couple, the cathedralesque Harrow Memorial Library houses the largest and grandest of all the University's seven libraries. It was once called the Winifred M. Harrow Memorial Library, but during the integration era incurred some controversy over its name. Some students felt that it propagated the University's elitist traditions of holding females over males, since Winifred Harrow's husband Bentley, an equally groundbreaking engineer, was not honored or mentioned at all. The administration has since bowed to student pressure and renamed it the Harrow Memorial Library to include both Winnie and Ben. However, a large bronze statue out in front of the library still features Winnie (and only Winnie) striking a fierce pose. After renaming the library the University apparently did not make any motion to add Ben to the scene. The official story was that it wouldn't be justifiable to spend student tuition on vanity projects when that money could instead be used to improve educational quality. Statues of that size are expensive, after all. However, some number of the student populace felt that this was a symptom of the University's lingering gender prejudice. As a result, Harrow Memorial Library is still the subject of some controversy. Dormitories In stark contrast with the grandeur of the campus exterior, the University's undergrad dorms are notoriously disgusting. The dormitories are located on the higher levels of the surrounding mountainsides, and are, by most accounts, barely livable. In contrast with the grandeur of the main campus, students unfortunate enough to be assigned one of these dorms have to put up with tiny rooms, animal and insect infestations, erratic heating in the winter and air conditioning in the summer, damp, and a lot of misery in general. Roommates are often required, and two dragons end up getting crammed into a space barely big enough for one. Cafeteria Science Hall Arts Wing Sports Facilities History The University is as old as the city of Mountia, founded when the very first NightWings settled in their valley sector and required a school for their young dragonets. In the very beginning the school was for females only, since the general belief of the time was that males belonged at home to care for the family and did not need an education. The founders also subscribed to ideas of NightWing superiority, and no one even thought to allow in dragons from other tribes. At this time, the school was called the University of Night. Over the next century or so the school grew as Mountia grew, and became more focused on higher education. It acquired a reputation as a preeminent school for young NightWings. When the rest of the NightWing population chose to leave Pyrrhia, an animus tunnel was constructed to link the volcanic island with the University and allow free passage between the two places. The animus tunnel lasted all of fifty years before it suddenly collapsed due to some mysterious magical failure, leaving the University all but cut off from the rest of the NightWing kingdom. It was too dangerous for all but the bravest NightWings to venture outside their sector's protection to seek out one of the other portals, so as a result the island NightWings and city NightWings functioned more or less separately for the longest time. With the University's student population dwindling due to the NightWings' isolation, the controversial decision was made to allow in young dragons from other sectors and other tribes, and to rename the school the University of Pyrrhia. Also at this time, the first males were admitted into the school. This was a turbulent time on campus, as traditionalists fought against integration and progressive reform. The University was rocked by widespread protests, most peaceful, some bloody. However, in the end those in favor of equality won and UoP officially became an all-tribe, all-gender school. During the War of SandWing Succession the University was all but shut down for more than twenty years, as tribal tensions escalated, much of Pyrrhia's youth was drafted into armies, and many of the lesser-known tribes either fled the continent or went into hiding. Times were tough for both UoP and Mountia at large, and since the University's numbers were down, the science department was mainly responsible for scrambling defenses. Because of its multitribal background, the University did not officially take sides during the war, and maintained that any armed forces that came too close to the city would be fired upon without discrimination. Many of the University war-era defense systems are still in place today. After the war's conclusion. the University found itself returning back to the forefront, stronger and better than ever, rejuvenated by a new influx of youth and talent. A large number of NightWing youth have found their way here, displaced from their former barrack homes and discontent under Queen Glory's rule. Despite its centuries-old history of tribal and gender prejudice, since the integration era the University has earned a reputation as a forum for new and radical ideas, and a hotbed for outspoken political dissidence. New ideas, such as gay rights, representative government, and environmental awareness have accumulated support here. Although the University's demographic is in fact made up of a wide range of ideologies, the general outside opinion is that the school is dangerously liberal. As a result, tribal royalty rarely sends its offspring princes and princesses here, despite the University offering some of the best educational experiences on the continent. Academics Athletics Culture Traditions The University's mascot is the wildcat; a large, fluffy gray feline with yellow eyes. Unfortunately for one certain NightWing, her pet cat happened to fit this definition to a tee. The school's flyball team has a tradition in which each year, before the championship game, they kidnap Zazzles and take him to the game. UoP's Flyball team has won the championships every year that they've had their lucky cat with them. However, this practice has resulted in a brutal feud between the flyball team and the University physics department. Also, during exams week, a superstition is that throwing coins and other small items into the fountain pool would bring good luck. Over the years this practice has escalated to include food, items of furniture, and occasionally other dragons. This past year the administration has started enforcing a ban on throwing anything at all into the pool. Controversies The University practices affirmative action, in order to ensure that the student body is made up of a more or less equal number of dragons from each of the tribes. This has resulted in some complaints that the system favors RainWings, MudWings, and those from the lesser-known tribes, and puts qualified NightWings and SeaWings at a disadvantage. WIP Campus Rules *Breathing fire or ice and spitting venom at other dragons is not permitted. *''Absolutely no'' disrespectful poses with the statue of Winifred M. Harrow outside Harrow Memorial Library. *Do not feed the squirrel population on the Commons. A number of these squirrels have been tested positive for viral disease. If you are bitten by a squirrel, seek medical attention immediately. *Do not harass the tourists. University Administration takes complaints from visitors very seriously. *Flying under the influence is a danger both to yourself and others in the air. The University maintains a zero-tolerance policy for this behavior. *Swimming in the fountain pool is only permitted at the designed times. Bathing and skinny-dipping is ''strictly ''prohibited. WIP Staff and Students *Acumen *Amorette *April *Bee *Bermuda *Birchwood *Brooklyn *Cobalt *Coyote *Cumulonimbus *Dystopia *Faerie *Glacia *Juliet *Lightbringer *Meridian *Mimas *Moonbreaker *Mythical *Pallid *Pavonine *Preystalker *Phi *Redtail *Scorchmark *Starmaker *Stormviper *Taffeta *Tear *Triage *Viceroy *Wisp *Zodia To make a University-affiliated dragon, contact Kittyluvver on her message wall. Category:Places Category:Content (Kittyluvver) Category:Groups